Pear tree named &#39;ANP-0118&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new pear variety distinguished by its small to medium sized fruit which has up to 70% blush coverage; tree ripened, crisp texture and mature for consumption in mid-January (based on harvest in Goulburn Valley, Australia).

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

None

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

None

LATIN NAME OF THE GENUS AND SPECIES OF THE PLANT CLAIMED

Pyrus communis

VARIETY DENOMINATION

‘ANP-0118’

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of pear tree named ‘ANP-0118’. My new tree resulted from a planned hybridization program and is a selection from crossing ‘Butirra Precoce Morettini’ (Unpatented) as the seed parent with ‘Corella’ (Unpatented) as the pollen parent. The resulting tree was selected when growing in a cultivated area in Goulburn Valley, Australia.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The ‘ANP-0118’ variety is distinguished from other pear varieties due to the following unique combination of characteristics: early fruit maturity in mid January (based on harvest in Goulburn Valley, Australia), fruit are tree ripened with a crisp texture and have an attractive red blush over a light green-yellow skin color.

Asexual reproduction of this new variety by grafting and budding onto rootstock (D6 and Quince A) shows that the foregoing characteristics come true to form, are firmly fixed, and are established and transmitted through succeeding propagations.

The following detailed description concerns the original tree, selected on January 2001, and progeny first asexually propagated in 2003. The original tree and progeny have been observed growing in a cultivated area in Goulburn Valley, Australia.

Certain characteristics of this variety may change with changing environmental conditions (such as photoperiod, temperature, moisture, soil conditions, nutrient availability, or other factors). For example, leaf colors may be brighter green if the trees are grown in soil with greater nitrogen concentrations, and may be more yellow when grown in soil containing lesser amounts of nitrogen. Color descriptions and other terminology are used in accordance with their ordinary dictionary descriptions, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Color designations (hue/value/chroma) are made with reference to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart (R.H.S.).

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a photograph showing the stem end, calyx end and side view of typical fruit of ‘ANP-0118’.

FIG. 2 is a photograph showing the horizontal and vertical cross sectional view of typical fruit of ‘ANP-0118’.

FIG. 3 is a photograph showing typical fruit on a tree of ‘ANP-0118’.

FIG. 4 is a photograph showing a 10 year old tree of ‘ANP-0118’ on D6 rootstock.

FIG. 5 is a photograph showing a flowering branch of ‘ANP-0118’.

FIG. 6 is a photograph showing the typical mature leaves of ‘ANP-0118’.

The color photographs show typical specimens of the leaves and fruit of this new pear tree variety and depict the color as nearly true as is reasonably possible to make the same in a color illustration of this character. It should be noted that colors may vary, for example due to lighting conditions at the time the photograph is taken. Therefore, color characteristics of this new variety should be determined with reference to the observations described herein, rather than from the photographs alone.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Botanical

The following detailed description of the ‘ANP-0118’ variety is based on observations of asexually reproduced progeny. The observed progeny are trees which were 10 years of age and growing on D6 (Pyrus calleryana) variety rootstock in Goulburn Valley, Australia.

-   Scientific name: Pyrus communis ‘ANP-0118’ -   Parentage:     -   -   Seed parent.—‘Butirra Precoce Morettini’, which resulted             from a cross between ‘Corsica’ and ‘Bartlett’.         -   Pollen parent.—‘Corella’, which was probably a seedling             selection of ‘Forelle’ from seed brought in by German             settlers to the Barossa Valley in South Australia in the             19th century. -   Tree:     -   -   Vigor.—Vigorous.         -   Overall shape.—Tree habit semi-upright.         -   Height.—Between 3 to 4 m.         -   Width.—Overall spread of about 1.5 m.         -   Caliper.—27.2 cm at 20 cm above the graft union.         -   Trunk.—Medium.         -   Trunk bark texture.—Medium, shaggy.         -   Trunk bark color.—Medium grey (RHS 201C).         -   Patches or other markings.—Lenticels and bark flakes             (Grey-brown RHS 199A).         -   Primary branches.—Spreading. Angle of emergence from trunk:             About 60 degrees.         -   Branch color.—one year old wood greyed-brown (RHS 199A). two             year old wood greyed-brown (RHS 199B).         -   Branch pubescence.—None.         -   Branch lenticels.—Medium density, approximately 8.7 per cm 2             (s.d. 2.1), round shape, typically 0.5 to 1.0 mm in             diameter; color greyed-brown (RHS 199D).         -   Internodes.—Average length 2.4 cm (s.d. 0.7) on one year old             wood. Average length 2.7 cm (s.d 0.9) on two year old wood.         -   Bearing.—Annual.         -   Hardiness.—Average in area tested.         -   Disease resistance.—No specific testing for relative plant             disease resistance has been undertaken. Under observation in             2012 in Goulburn Valley, Australia slight resistance to             field infection of pear scab was observed in the leaves and             fruit. -   Leaves:     -   -   Texture.—Smooth.         -   Sheen.—Glossy.         -   Length.—About 40 mm to about 65 mm. Averaging 51.4 mm (s.d.             7.4).         -   Width.—About 28 mm to about 45 mm. Averaging 34.9 mm (s.d.             4.5).         -   Thickness.—About 0.15 mm to about 0.24 mm. Averaging 0.19 mm             (s.d. 0.02).         -   Petiole.—About 37 mm (s.d. 8.7) long and about 0.85 mm (s.d.             0.3) in diameter; Yellow-green (RHS 154C) in color.         -   Margin.—Serrate.         -   Tip shape.—Cuspidate.         -   Stipules.—Commonly 2 per leaf bud.         -   Leaf color.—Upper leaf surface: Yellow-green (RHS 146A).             Lower leaf surface: Yellow-green (RHS 147B). Vein:             Yellow-green (RHS 154D) pinnate with net-like minor veins.         -   Pubescence.—Upper and lower leaf surfaces weak to absent.             The length, width, thickness and other measurements were             obtained from observations of 20 typical leaves in Goulburn             Valley on 15 Jan. 2013. -   Flowers:     -   -   Size.—Medium, approximately 27.1 mm in diameter.         -   Shape.—Ovoid to round.         -   Color.—Unopened bud: white in color (RHS 155D). Opened             flower: white in color (RHS 155D).         -   Petals.—5 petals per flower; each petal is obovate in shape;             about 12.2 mm long and 8.2 mm wide. White in color (RHS             155D).         -   Stamen.—18 to 20 per flower; each stamen is 5.5 to 7.7 mm             long and white in color (RHS 155D). Arranged in a single             row.         -   Anthers.—red purple (RHS 59B) in color.         -   Pistil.—Stigma is about 0.1 mm long; rounded at top in             shape; 5 styles, and light yellow green (RHS 145B) in color.         -   Sepals.—About 2.7 mm long and 1.8 mm wide mm wide (at base);             Acuminate in shape; yellow green (RHS 144B) in color.         -   Pollen.—yellow (RHS 15A) in color.         -   Fragrance.—faint.         -   Bloom season.—15-25 September in Goulburn Valley, Australia;             average full bloom date from 2009 to 2012 was 25 September             for ANP-0118; 29 September for Packham's Triumph. -   Fruit: (Observations from 20 fruit in the 165 to 175 g weight range     harvested in Goulburn Valley, Australia)     -   -   Size.—Small to medium; About 82 mm long and 62 mm wide to 97             mm long and 68 mm wide.         -   Form.—Pyriform; globular acute to oblong ovate; symmetric,             1.36 length to diameter ratio.         -   Cavity.—None; sepals closed.         -   Basin (blossom end).—About 3.3 mm deep and about 16 mm wide.         -   Stem.—About 17 mm long and 3.4 mm in diameter; yellow-green             (RHS 150B) in color; greyed-orange (RHS 163A) overcolour.         -   Locules.—small; 5 locules; open.         -   Skin.—thin with glossy finish; no tendency to become waxy in             storage.         -   Color.—General color effect: sun blush; typically 20 to 40%             skin coverage and up to 70% skin coverage dependent upon sun             exposure; Lenticels slightly conspicuous; small and round;             yellow-green in color (RHS 144B). Ground color: Yellow-green             (RHS 145B to 150C as fruit ripens). Overcolor: Pinkish red             (RHS 45C to 45A dependent upon intensity of blush) with             occasional mottling. Russetting: Absent. Fruit properties             during harvest period in Goulburn Valley, Australia. Acid             content: about 150 g/100 ml malic acid. Firmness: 4.5 to 6.5             kg for green fruit. Harvested at 5.7 kg (s.d. 0.7) in 2013             and softened about 2 kg after 10 weeks in storage at 0° C.             Fruit consumed either crisp off the tree or cool stored for             8-10 weeks to initiate normal softening. Soluble solids:             about 11 to 16° brix, average 13.8 ° brix (s.d. 0.9) at             harvest in 2013, and 14.3 ° brix (s.d. 0.7) after 10 weeks             in storage at 0° C. Starch index: on a scale of 1(100%             starch) to 6 (no starch) average 3.2 for green fruit.             Flavor: balanced acid/sugar ratio, slight sweetness.             Juiciness: medium. Flesh color: white (RHS 155A). Flesh             texture: crisp and fine; no grit cells. Aroma: Slight.         -   Core.—basal bundle area shape about 17.3 cm (s.d. 0.8) long             and 20.3 cm (s.d. 2.2) wide; calyx tube semi-closed; core             line definition medium.         -   Seed.—up to 10 seed per fruit, average 5.0 seed (s.d. 2.3)             in 2013 and 1 to 2 seed per locule; tear drop shape; about             10.5 mm (s.d. 0.6) long and 5.3 mm (s.d. 0.3) wide;             yellow-orange color at harvest (RHS 19C).         -   Fruit production.—Harvest period mid January in Goulburn             Valley, Australia. First harvest date 14 Jan. 2013 and last             harvest date 21 Jan. 2013. Production per hectare not             determined. Trees produce consistent medium crop loads             similar to ‘Corella’.         -   Storage.—Fruit requires cool storage for 8 to 10 weeks to             initiate normal softening. Fruit will then rapidly soften             within 2 days at room temperature and requires refrigeration             to remain crisp.         -   Usage.—Fresh market. 

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct variety of pear tree, substantially as herein shown and described. 